Two and Two
by PLLHalebSpoby
Summary: Seventh in my Spoby two-shot series exploring the origins of Spencer and Toby's relationship from the beginning. With mounting pressure from her family, Spencer finds it hard to navigate her way around her new relationship with Toby. Will the town festival finally be the opportunity she needs to prove her love for him once and for all?
1. Chapter 1

As if having murder charges on her plate wasn't enough, Spencer also found that she was being cut off from the people that she had come to rely on through this twisted nightmare.

Her friends weren't a problem. They had been close for nearly four years, and were like her sisters, people her parents approved of. As if that mattered to her anymore.

It was the people that her parents _didn't _approve of. Sitting uncomfortably at the island counter in the kitchen, Spencer tried not to look her mother or sister directly in the eye.

All she got was fake sympathy, at least from her sister, and her mother who would open her mouth and ramble on about defenses and good tactics to sway a jury.

It was nauseating even thinking about having to go that far, much less talk about it when it hadn't even happened yet.

When her phone chimed its ringtone she had installed when she had first gotten it, her sister, nosy as she was, dove for it.

"It's Toby," she said, setting the phone back down, as she looked pointedly at her sister, as if she was insane for even associating with him, much less accepting his calls.

Spencer reacted instantly, as though her body had been programmed to move when he did. Reaching across the table, she made a grab for her phone, only to be intercepted by her grabby mother, who snatched her phone faster than Spencer could blink.

"Honey, I would prefer it if you not have any contact with him until the situation is behind us."

Feeling a rush of incredulity and hurt, Spencer opened her mouth to speak, closed it several times out of sheer lost nerve, and then opened it again. "Why? What does Toby have to do with anything?"

"You need to be careful with who you associate with."

Translation: Toby was an accused murderer, not to mention an admitted arsonist.

"So what? I'm just supposed to ignore him?"

"Yes. Sweetie, listen. You need to be at the Founders Festival. If you're not, your neighbors will think you have something to hide-" 

"I don't really care what my neighbors think-"

"They're not just neighbors. They're potential jurors. Most verdicts are decided in the living room, and town fairs."

Her mother could certainly prohibit her activities with Toby while she was stationary under her roof, but she couldn't control what she did when she was outside in the free world.

Walking down the street toward Emily's place, she saw Toby bent over his bike, forever working on trying to get it fixed and running.

"Hey," he said, glancing up at her as he paused in what he was doing. "How are you?"

"Relieved," she said, speaking truthfully, "that you're speaking to me."

After all, who would want to be associated with a "person of interest" especially considering _his _history with the police, and what it had done to him.

For the first time, he looked uncomfortable, as he turned back to his bike. "We shouldn't talk about this."

Taken aback, she crossed her arms over her chest. Of all people, she had expected Toby to at least understand some of what she was going through.

"So you do think it was me?"

"No, of course not. But I can't say the same for my parents. Spencer, you should go home," he said, glancing over at the same police car that had been circling around her block. "Those guys have a way of adding two and two and coming up with five. I'll stop by your place later."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea."

The way her mother had reacted that morning, she wouldn't put it past her to slam the door in Toby's face.

"Because your parents don't want you near me," he surmised. "Makes sense."


	2. Chapter 2

The Founder's Festival was nothing but a show for the filthy rich, and their children to get together and spoil themselves rotten with all the food and low carb snacks they could much down on.

Unfortunately for Toby, he had spent the last hour navigating his way around the sticky fingered kids and their parents, who had reflexively pulled them closer when they had spotted him.

It didn't bother him much anymore.

He and Spencer had an agreement to meet at seven, but she was nowhere to be found. Looking down at his phone again, he watched as the numbers inexorably ticked further and further away from seven.

Right outside the funhouse of horrors, he settled. It was near the main street, right where he would be easily spotted by her.

If she ever chose to make an appearance.

Maybe she had finally buckled down, maybe she had finally taken heed of what her mother was trying to warn her of, and had decided to stay away.

He would certainly understand it, even though it would have hurt badly.

Taking out his phone again, he decided to chance it and send her one final text: _I'm here. Where can I find you?_

And then he saw her. She was coming out of the funhouse tent with her mother, sister and some other lady that he didn't know too well.

She paused. He could see the longing in her expression, as she gazed at him.

"Come on, girls," her mother said, ushering Spencer away. "Let's cut through here."

For one brief moment, he watched as she began to turn away, leaving him standing there.

He didn't give up, though. He stayed there, his eyes trained on her retreating figure, until it paused, slowly she turned around.

And then she walked.

And then she ran into his arms.

For a second, he was stunned.

Until his senses returned to him and he returned her hug, and then accepted the kiss that she graced his mouth with, right in front of her family and the entire town.


End file.
